Saint Saviour in Chora,Kariye Camii

THE PARECCLESION: THE FRESCOES

The superb fresco decoration of the parecclesion or side chapel to the south of the church was the last part of Metochite’s work of redecoration to be carried out, probably in 1320–21. The great but unknown master artist of these frescoes was probably the same as the one who did the mosaics in the rest of the church. The decoration of the chapel is designed to illustrate its purpose as a place of burial.

Above the level of the cornice the paintings represent the Resurrection and the Life, the Last Judgement, Heaven and Hell, and the Mother of God as the Bridge between Earth and Heaven. Below the cornice is a procession of saints and martyrs, interrupted here and there by tombs.

2 and 3 Saint Procopius and Saint Sabas Stratelates

4 Saint Mercurius

12 Saint Artemius or Saint Nicetas, 13 Medallion of Saint Bacchus, 14 Medallion of Saint Sergius, 15 Medallion of Saint Laurus, 16 Medallion of Saint Florus, 17 18 19 unidentified saints and 20 possibly Saint George of Cappadocia.

21 The Virgin Eleousa, the Merciful or Compassionate on the south wall of the bema

23 Saint Athanasius 24 Saint John Chrysostomos

25 26 27 Saint

We Now consider the frescoes on the Upper Level

Like the narthexes, the program of the parekklesion is divided between the
Virgin and Christ. Here, however, the overriding theme is salvation, befitting
a funeral chapel. Arched tombs, or arcosolia, line the chapel walls, which are
decorated with fresco rather than mosaic and marble revetments. The lower
walls are painted to resemble marble paneling, forming a dado zone, and
the walls filled with standing figures of saints. The western domed bay is
devoted to the Virgin; the upper walls represent Old Testament prefigura-
tions of the Virgin, emphasizing her role in Salvation. The scenes and
inscribed verses are drawn from special readings on the Virgin’s feast days.
The eastern bay is devoted to the Last Judgment. The complex program of the
chapel culminates in the conch of the apse, where the Anastasis (Harrowing
of Hell) is represented, flanked by scenes of resurrection.

The inviolable city as a prefiguration of the Virgin. The 
inscription on Isaiah’s scroll is almost illegible but probably 
reads: “Thus saith the Lord concerning the king of Assyria: ‘He 
shall not come into this city’.” (Isaiah 37:33)   

30 The Souls of the Righteous in the Hand of God 
(In crown of western arch)
 Almost entirely lost, but one can make out part of the Hand of 
God holding the souls of the righteous, represented as infants 
in swaddling-bands

The altar as a prefiguration of the Virgin. Inscription, practically illegible, is perhaps: “They draw nigh to the altar and offer their sin-offerings and their whole burnt offerings.” (Leviticus 9:7)

The Mother of God and Her Prefigurations
This cycle, in the western dome and bay, represents the Blessed Virgin and a series of five episodes from the Old Testament which came to be symbolically interpreted as prefigurations or “types” of the Virgin and the Incarnation.

32. Saint Joseph the 9th century hymnographer is pictured holding a scroll he has written. In the background are scenes from the Old testament. He is sometimes refered to as " the sweet voiced nightingale of the Church"

33. Saint Theophanes Graptos another 9th century hymnographer, so called because he was branded on the face on the orders of Emperor Theophilus for his anti Iconociasm views. He is depicted as he writed the lines for a funeral, he also served as a monk in this Church where he is buried. 

34. Saint John of Damascus is a 8th century hymnographer, also known as John Damascene " the golden speaker ", was a Syrian monk and priest. Born in Damascus and died in 749 in a monastery near Jerusalem as a revered Father of the Church.In 1890 he was declared a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo XIII.

35. Saint Cosmas of Maiuma, 8th century hymnographer, also known as Cosmas of Jerusalem and Cosmas the Poet (d, 773 or 794) was a student of John of Damascus. He was appointed Bishop of Maiuma a port city in ancient Gaza where he died in great old age.

36 and 37 The Dedication of Solomon’s Temple
     
 The Ark of the Covenant as a prefiguration of the Virgin. First 
scene, in west half of south lunette of east bay, is inscribed: 
 
“And it came to pass when Solomon was finished building the 
house of the Lord, then he assembled all the elders of Israel 
in Sion, to bring the Ark of the Covenant to the Lord out of 
the City of David, that is Sion, and the priests took up the 
Ark of the Covenant as a prefiguration of the testimony.” (I 
Kings 8:1–4). 
Second scene, on soffit of arch, inscription lost 
but probably continuation of verse 4: “and the holy vessels that 
were in the tabernacle of testimony.” 
Third scene, on east half 
of south lunette, inscribed: “and the king and all Israel were 
assembled before the Ark.” (v 5). 
Fourth scene, on west half of 
south lunette, inscribed: “And the priests bring in the Ark of 
the Covenant, into the oracle of the house, even into the holy 
of holies, under the wings of the cherubim.” (I Kings 8:6)

38. Medallion of Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of El Elyon ( most high God) 

39. Jacob’s Ladder; Jacob wrestling with the Angel
In western half of north lunette
 The ladder or bridge to heaven as a prefiguration of the Virgin. 
Inscribed: “And Jacob took one of the stones of the place, 
and put it at his head, and lay down to sleep in that place; 
and behold, a ladder fixed on the earth, whose top reached to 
heaven, and the angels of God ascended and descended on it. 
And the Lord stood upon it.” (Genesis 28:11–13). Note that 
the Lord, here and elsewhere, is represented by the Virgin and 
Child.


40. Moses and the Burning Bush; Moses hides his Face
In eastern half of north lunette and on soffit of arch
 The burning bush that was not consumed as a prefiguration 
of the Virgin. First scene inscribed: “Now Moses came to the 
mountain of God, even to Choreb. And the angel of the Lord 
appeared to him in a flame out of the bush … Put of thy shoes 
from of thy feet, for the place where upon thy standest is holy 
ground.” (Exodus 3:1–2, 5). Second scene, on adjacent arch, 
inscribed: “And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look 
upon God.” (Exodus 3:6).

41. Medallion of Jesus

42. The Virgin, Christ Child and Angels.In the western dome is displayed the "Mother of God" in the center with the Christ Child on her lap surrounded by twelve angels lit by twelve windows. Above the windows are frescoes of twelve angels holding spears. Four angels are also holding spheres symbolizing the Earth, they are Archangel's Michael, Uriel,Rafael and Gabriel.The Virgin is pictured as the Queen of Heaven while holding the Christ Child clad in golden garments and making a sign of blessing. The angels are clothed in brilliantly colored attires of the Byzantine Palace.

43, 44 and 45 Carrying the sacred vessels, Medallion of Jesus and Moses and the burning bush.

On the soffit of the adjacent arch, the procession continues, with priests
bearing the sacred vessels, the seven-branched candlestick and the stamnos
(vase) of manna. Both objects symbolized the Virgin.

46 and 47 The land and sea giving up their dead, Bearing the Ark of the Covenant

In the southwest pendentive is The Land and Sea Giving up Their Dead. As
angels blow their trumpets, bodies rise from their coffins and the sea.

On the south wall of the parekklesion are several scenes from the dedi-
cation of Solomon’s temple. These begin in the west side of the second
lunette, which shows The Bearing of the Ark of the Covenant, represented as
a triangular-shaped box, to the new temple. Typologically the Ark and the
Virgin are related, and the scenes parallel those of the Virgin’s presenta-
tion and life in the temple, depicted in the inner narthex; both Virgin and
Ark are containers of God.

48 An Angel conducts the soul of Lazarus to Heaven

49 The Entry of the Elect into Paradise 

The Elect are led by St. Peter towards the Gate of Paradise, 
guarded by a Cherub; the Good thief welcomes them and 
points to the enthroned Mother of God.

51 The Rich Man in Hell ( in NW, NE and SE pendentives ) The scenes illustrate Luke 16:19-26: the Rich Man refused alms to Lazarus in this world;he went to hell and appealed to Lazarus in heaven for water but was refused.

52 The Torments of the Damned(in lunette of south wall, eastern half)Four rectangular panels identified as: (upper left) the Gnashing 
of Teeth; (upper right) the Outer Darkness; (lower left) the 
Worm that Sleepeth Not; (lower right) the Unquenchable 
Fire.

The Last Judgement: Heaven and Hell

This vast scene occupies the whole vault; the title is inscribed 
at the centre. It represents the Doctrine of the Last Things; 
death, judgement, immortality in heaven or damnation in hell. 
In the crown is the Scroll of Heaven (Apocalypse 6:14). In the 
eastern half sits Christ in Judgement. To the souls of the saved 
he says: “Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom 
prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” (Matt. 
25:34) To the condemned souls on his left he says: “Depart 
from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil 
and his angels.” (Matt. 25:41) Below to left a River of Fire 
broadening to a lake in which are the damned. Below Christ 
the Etimasia or empty throne prepared for the Second Coming: 
Adam and Eve prostrate before it. Below this the Weighing 
and Condemnation of Souls. The western half of the vault is 
occupied by the Choirs of the Elect in clouds.

This scene, called Anastasis (Resurrection) in Greek, is known 
in English as the Harrowing of Hell. Christ has broken down 
the gates of Hell which lie beneath his feet; Satan, bound, lies 
before him. With his right hand he pulls Adam out of his tomb; 
behind Adam stand St. John the Baptist, David, Solomon and 
other righteous kings. With his left hand he pulls Eve out of 
her tomb; standing in it is Abel and behind him another group 
of the righteous. This is surely one of the great paintings of the 
world.